


Petty

by Frangipanidownunder



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 02:24:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15571614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frangipanidownunder/pseuds/Frangipanidownunder
Summary: When you're feeling pretty crappy you write! This fic probably reflects my frame of mind! This is a twenty minute word vomit that probably has no coherent narrative.





	Petty

Skinner broadened in front of them with his elbows splayed on the desk. His fingers flexed. Uncomfortable silence palpated between them.

“Agent Scully, I have to say this isn’t your best work.”

“Sir, I…” What? What could she say? Skinner was pissed. Mulder’s toe was tapping out ‘I told you so’ and her fuse was thoroughly lit. She swallowed to tamp back the hissing spark of anger. “I see,” she said and stood up. Straightening her skirt, licking her lips, looking at the floor, holding her hands in front of her or sighing would all underline her humiliation. Instead, she turned and walked to the door.

“Agent Scully,” Skinner called. “I expect an updated report on my desk in the morning.”

She heard Mulder agree to the demand, apologise for her hasty exit and stand up but she strode to elevator, pressing the close door button before he could get there. His ‘Scu’ was cut off. The other agent in the elevator gave her a look but she beat him off with The Look.

Mulder caught up with her in the car park. His hair flopped over his forehead and she had the urge to pull out her cell and call the barber’s there and then. She imagined him in the chair, towel tucked into his collar, flinching at the sound of the clippers. Her father used to tell her about the time he was in a parade line and the commanding officer yelled in his face: ‘Am I hurting you Scully?’ Ahab replied ‘No Sir’ and the commanding officer yelled ‘I should be because I’m standing on your hair’. He would smile and say ‘long hair on a man speaks of an undisciplined mind.’

“What?” Mulder said, lowering his face to that insufferably close gap. “I don’t think that’s fair, Scully. I offered to help.”

Her car alarm bleeped and she pulled open the door to sling her bag into the passenger seat. It fell out. “Fuck.”

“Here, let me…”

She grabbed the bag strap and lifted it up. “It’s fine,” she said. It wasn’t. Not really. Her laptop was in that bag and if it was broken, she’d…His hand on her shoulder, rolling gently.

“Scully? Are you okay? You seem a little…”

“Off?”

His hand dropped away as she folded her arms around herself, facing him square. He looked away briefly then back at her. “I was going to say tense.”

She waited for him to put his hands on his hips and proceed to ask her if she was ill, worried about something, wanting to share her secret with the class, or, insult of all male insults, was that time of the month. Well, buster, bring it on. Her breath was tight in her lungs as she stood there watching that fucking beautiful mouth purse and the vein in his temple throb as his jaw flexed.

“Skinner was being a petty asshole back there,” he said and rubbed the top of her arm, half-smiling. “I’ll resubmit the report. He can judge me instead.”

Her breath hissed out of her like a balloon untied.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Scully.”

He walked away and left her deflating.

Skinner broadened in front of them with his elbows splayed on the desk. His fingers flexed. Uncomfortable silence palpated between them.

“Agent Mulder, this report is accepted. Thank you. You’re both dismissed.”

The elevator doors wheezed shut and Mulder grinned at her. She cocked an eyebrow. The other agent didn’t even bother with a look.

“What did you change?” Not that she really wanted to know. Clearly she’d lost her touch. Reports were her thing. He always teased her for taking notes, but how many times had her notes saved their asses. He usually just rode on her coattails. Got the glory for doing nothing other than sitting by her side during the acquittal meetings.

But credit where credit was due, this time Mulder had got them out of a hole. A big hole. That report was for the audit committee meeting and could mean all the difference to their budget bottom line.

He sat on his chair and she picked up his name plate from his desk as she waited for his response.

“Nothing,” he said, clasping his hands behind his head. “I resubmitted the same report, word for word. All I did was change your name to mine. How about that?”

As the name plate clanged to the floor she heard his ‘Scu’ but cut it off with a slam of the door.


End file.
